Contents

Overview

Many types of energy-consuming products are regulated to ensure that clear and consistent information on their energy usage is readily available. This helps consumers make informed purchase decisions and encourages competition between manufacturers in relation to improving energy efficiency.

All appliances in scope must:

display a standard energy label

be accompanied by a fiche: a table of information giving specified performance data

be supported by technical documentation allowing the accuracy of the label and fiche to be assessed

Responsibility for enforcing the regulations is shared by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (Safety & Standards), local authorities and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

(Appliances in scope are also likely to be covered by the Ecodesign regulations.)

Who is responsible for compliance?

Responsibility for compliance is shared by the supplier that first places a regulated product on the EU market (a manufacturer, authorised representative or importer) and the dealer that sells it. This extends to any means of online selling, distance selling, hire and hire purchase.

How do I comply?

Suppliers must produce energy labels and fiches in accordance with the regulations, and the supporting technical documentation allowing their accuracy to be assessed. They must also:

provide labels to dealers promptly and for free

include the fiche in all brochures or other literature accompanying the product

make the technical documentation available to Safety & Standards if requested and retain it for 5 years after the manufacturing of the product has stopped

No label, mark, symbol or inscription can be shown that could mislead people about the energy efficiency of a product.

Dealers must display energy labels so that they are clearly visible, attaching them to the product where appropriate, and make the fiche available to consumers. For any means of distance selling, the information on the label and fiche must be provided to consumers before they buy the appliance.

The energy label is standard across the EU and must include:

the model number of the product and name of its manufacturer

the amount of energy it uses in a year, calculated in kWh / annum

specific data according to its type, in pictogram format

its energy efficiency class, from best to worst, depending on the relevant scale for the product, with corresponding colour-coded arrows

In many cases, where the energy efficiency or price of a product is referenced in an advertisement, its energy efficiency class must also be indicated.

What is the role of the Office for Product Safety and Standards?

Safety & Standards enforces the regulations in the UK in relation to suppliers, including misleading information.

Local authorities enforce the regulations in relation to dealers, with the ASA covering the marketing of products with energy efficiency information.

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